All articles by Dana Schulz

Dana is a writer and preservationist with a passion for all things New York.  After graduating from New York University with a BA in Urban Design & Architecture Studies, she worked at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, where she planned the organization's public programs and wrote for their blog Off the Grid. In her free time, she leads walking tours about the social and cultural history of city neighborhoods. Follow her on Twitter @danaschulzNYC.
November 13, 2020

‘Blue’s Clues’ host Steve Burns lists his playful, converted-garage in Williamsburg for $3.35M

Remember the kids' show Blue's Clues from the late '90s/early 2000s? Well, host Steve Burns has been living right here in Williamsburg since then, creating one of the most unique homes in the entire city, where he's been busy making music. The former garage and woodshop at 19 Powers Street was transformed into a contemporary-meets-rustic abode, complete with a private parking garage, a magical courtyard, and two rooftop terraces. The two-bedroom home is now on the market for $3,350,000.
Don't miss this one
November 13, 2020

14 middle-income apartments up for grabs in Astoria, from $2,050/month

In the heart of Astoria, a middle-income affordable housing lottery has launched at the brand-new rental building at 14-53 31st Avenue. Known as the Centennial Astoria, it was designed by local firm JLS Designs and offers a modern, glassy living experience not often found in the neighborhood. There are 14 units available to those earning 130 percent of the area median income. They include $2,050/month one-bedrooms and $2,500/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
November 12, 2020

Middle-income housing lottery launches for 47 units at new amenity-filled rental in Jackson Heights

A new affordable housing lottery has launched for Roosevelt Parc, a brand-new rental in Jackson Heights, Queens designed by Marvel Architects. The mixed-use project has a unique Flatiron-esque shape that lends itself to a large outdoor garden. There's also a huge roof deck complete with outdoor kitchens and grills and various lounging and dining areas, among a slew of other amenities. There are 47 units available to those earning 130 percent of the area median income, ranging from $1,121/month studios to $3,283/month three-bedrooms.
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November 12, 2020

West Village condo of the late Alan Rickman lists for $1.7M

Late British actor Alan Rickman, known for, among countless other roles, playing  Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series, lived primarily in England, but he had a great affinity for New York City. When he performed on Broadway (he was nominated for a Tony Award for his role in Noel Coward's Private Lives) he resided in his pied-à-terre in the West Village. After his passing in 2016, his estate has now listed the one-bedroom condo at 321 West 13th Street for $1,695,000. According to brokerage Compass, Rickman had "impeccable taste and a keen sense of design," which is shown in the gut renovation he undertook after purchasing the top-floor apartment for $995,000 in 2009.
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November 11, 2020

New York will close restaurants and gyms at 10pm, limits gatherings to 10 people

With the COVID positivity rate rising across the state, and with neighboring states of Connecticut and New Jersey seeing major spikes, Governor Cuomo today put in place new restrictions to curb the spread. Restaurants and bars will have to close at 10pm; after that time they can offer curbside takeout and delivery for food only. Gyms will also have to close at 1opm. And both indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences will be limited to no more than 10 people. These are the three main spreaders that were identified by state contact-tracers. The rules go into effect at 1opm this Friday, November 13th.
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November 11, 2020

Here’s what you can expect from Macy’s ‘reimagined’ Thanksgiving parade

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a New York City tradition since 1924. In modern times, the event draws a live crowd of roughly 3.5 million and is made up of 8,000 participants, including performers, marching bands, dancers, and more. But those large numbers of people mean that this year's pandemic-era parade will look a bit different. Macy's announced in September that its 94th annual parade will be a television-only presentation with participant capacity reduced by 75 percent, a two-day staging, and balloons being flown by vehicles instead of the usual 80- to 100-person teams that corral each balloon. A New York Times feature today shared the happy news that actors from four shuttered Broadway shows will be performing.
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November 11, 2020

In Rockland County, this $1.3M Colonial home was designed by Stanford White

As a partner in the Beaux-Arts architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, Stanford White designed the Washington Square Arch, the Villard Houses, and the Gould Library, among so many others. He also designed the most private residences of the three men, including this late-19th century, shingly Colonial in Rockland County. Located in the Hudson River-front town of Piermont, the four-bedroom home has a striking semi-circular window, tons of original paneled woodwork and doors, and four beautiful fireplaces. After remaining in the same family for four generations, it's now up for sale asking $1,275,000.
See inside
November 10, 2020

Can NYC stave off a second COVID wave? Positivity rate nears 3%

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office. For the sixth straight day, New York City's COVID positivity rate has been above 2 percent, today hitting 2.88 percent. Though this is lower than surrounding states (New Jersey has recently hit 8 percent), Mayor de Blasio's education plan has set a threshold of 3 percent for keeping schools open. And according to the city's data, the number of new daily infections has nearly doubled since August from roughly 300 to a whopping 976 last Wednesday. Yesterday, Mayor de Blasio said the city was "getting dangerously close" to a second wave, setting off an alarm among New Yorkers, and today he said, "this is our last chance to stop [it]."
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November 10, 2020

Contemporary Bed-Stuy townhouse has an income-generating rental for $2.7M

Built in 1890, this townhouse at 639 Macon Street in Bed-Stuy has done a nice job of preserving some historic details while also completing a full designer renovation. Contemporary finishes and bright, open rooms now highlight both the three-bedroom owner's residence that occupies the home's top three floors, as well as the two-bedroom, income-generating rental on the garden level. For all this, the house is asking $2,695,000.
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November 9, 2020

New Jersey adds new COVID restrictions as infection rate climbs

With infection rates throughout the Garden State continuing to climb, Governor Phil Murphy has been hinting for the past week at new restrictions, and today they came. Aside from prohibiting all indoor interstate games for youth and high school sports, the rules focus on indoor dining, including stopping restaurants, bars, and casinos from serving food or drink between 10pm and 5am and prohibiting barside seating. Murphy's announcement came as New Jersey saw its fifth-straight day of 2,000+ cases, with 3,207 cases reported on Saturday, the highest since the height of the pandemic on April 27.
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November 9, 2020

The Rockefeller Center ice skating rink will only be open for two months this year

Photo by Shinya Suzuki via Flickr cc As was first reported by the New York Times, the famous ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center will be be open for the holidays this year, but it will be a much abbreviated season. The rink will open a month later to give more time to restaurants currently using the plaza for outdoor dining, and it will close several months early on January 17 to begin work on a major revamp that was approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in April.
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November 9, 2020

Leonard Bernstein’s one-time Upper East Side penthouse hits the market for $29.5M

Just by appearance, this Upper East Side penthouse is brag-worthy. Located at the Art Deco co-op 895 Park Avenue, the 14-room apartment is spread across two floors and has multiple wood-burning fireplaces, wrap-around terraces with views in every direction, and a gorgeous solarium. But what really sets it apart is that it used to be home to famous composer and cultural icon Leonard Bernstein, and it's even where he hosted his "radical chic" party as a fundraiser for the Black Panthers. And it can now be yours for $29,500,000.
Take the tour
November 9, 2020

Here’s what New Yorkers can expect from Joe Biden’s COVID-19 plan

Even before he was officially declared President-elect, Joe Biden began briefings about the pandemic, and since Saturday's celebrations, his comprehensive, federally led strategy to combat COVID-19 finally feels within reach. Today, President-elect Biden announced the 13 members of his COVID-19 advisory board, made up of public health experts, scientists, and doctors. This group will help Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and him carry out their plan to not only beat the virus, but to prepare for future global health threats. Ahead, we take a closer look at the intricacies of the strategy and how it will benefit the entire nation, as well as New Yorkers, from a nation-wide mask mandate to an increase in testing centers to the establishment of a Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force.
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November 6, 2020

New York will deploy additional National Guard and NYPD to enforce COVID rules at airports

With the pandemic roaring around the nation and in nearby New Jersey and Connecticut, Governor Cuomo today announced that he'd be deploying additional National Guard and NYPD members to state airports to enforce the state's COVID entry requirements as the holidays approach. In a conference call this morning with reporters, the governor said, "You should not land if you do not have proof of a negative test," referring to the new travel rule that he announced on Monday, which says that most travelers who were in another state for more than 24 hours must obtain a test within three days of departure from that state.
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November 6, 2020

This $1.7M Park Slope condo is indoor-outdoor living at its finest

Every single room in this Park Slope duplex opens to outdoor space, a rare find anywhere in NYC. The condo at 580 Carroll Street has a 1,175-square-foot garden, as well as a huge upper terrace that spans the length of the building. In addition, the interiors of the two-bedroom home are impeccably designed in a cool, contemporary style. It's asking $1,700,000.
Go outside
November 5, 2020

Jersey City will mail masks to all 120,000 of its households

Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop joined the Health and Human Services Department and the Office of Innovation today to announce the city's #MaskUpJC campaign, which includes mailing masks to all 120,000 households throughout the city. The masks feature five city-branded designs and will arrive in a larger package that includes a letter from Mayor Fulop and a poster.
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November 5, 2020

Yankees great Mariano Rivera puts Westchester mansion on the market for $4M

From 1995 to 2013, Mariano Rivera was a pitching legend for the New York Yankees, ultimately becoming in 2019 the first player ever elected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame. When he and his family moved from Panama in 2000, they relocated to Westchester, not far from the Bronx Bombers' stadium. Now that his three sons are grown, he and his wife Clara have decided to sell their home in Rye, listing it for $3,995,000. The 13,050-square-foot mansion has nine bedrooms and eight-and-a-half bathrooms, as well as perks like a home theater, gym, rec room, massive pool deck, and a gated motor court and four-car garage.
Go inside
November 5, 2020

After 17 years, Caracas Arepa Bar is closing in the East Village

Before the entire East Village was a hub of hip food, the stretch of East 7th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue was somewhat of a pioneer in the new guard of restaurants, and one of the first places to set up here was Caracas Arepa Bar. In 2003, the Venezuelan restaurant was opened by owners Maribel Araujo and Aristides Barrios, who met at another arepa bar in the city of Caracas and often get credit for popularizing arepas in the city. But, sadly, after 17 years, the restaurant is the latest to fall victim to the pandemic and announced on Instagram that the last day for their East Village location will be November 8.
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November 5, 2020

$13.8M carriage house feels like a mini palazzo right in Chelsea

This two-family Chelsea carriage house has the feeling of an Italian palazzo. But despite its old-world feel, the home is full of modern perks such as a rare private garage, three outdoor spaces including a roof deck, and multiple skylights. The six-bedroom owner's residence occupies four floors plus a finished basement, while the two-bedroom rental unit sits on the top floor. The new owner definitely has the option to transform the home into one 9,200-square-foot private townhouse. It's asking $13,800,000.
See the whole place
November 4, 2020

Where to order takeout Thanksgiving meals this year in NYC

Let's face it--this year's Thanksgiving is not going to be what we're used to. Many of us won't be able to travel to be with our families or don't feel comfortable dining in a restaurant. But if cooking's not your thing (or you're just too damn exhausted from 2020), there are plenty of local restaurants offering to-go holiday meals. From classic turkey dinners at Bubby's and The Smith to an affordable, family-friendly option from Sarabeth's to something a little more avant-garde like Cote's Korean prime rib meal or Aquavit's Nordic-inspired menu, we've rounded up the best takeout Turkey Day options in NYC.
Hope you're hungry
November 3, 2020

Contemporary Murray Hill penthouse with an incredible terrace asks $3.25M

The listing for this $3,250,000 three-bedroom co-op in Murray Hill touts the property as a "true penthouse," explaining that it "sits on top of the building proper and is accessed through a private entrance at rooftop level." That location (which sounds pretty darn good to us!) also affords the home at 244 Madison Avenue an incredible rooftop terrace, complete with cozy built-in seating and dining, as well as views of the Empire State Building and Midtown skylines.
See inside
November 2, 2020

Mist garden from 1964 World’s Fair restored at Flushing Meadows Corona Park

When the World's Fair descended upon Flushing Meadows Corona Park in 1964-1965, one of the big attractions was the Unisphere. And leading up to this 140-foot-tall stainless steel globe was the Fountain of the Fairs, a large reflecting pool that acted as an interactive mist garden. Though they were renovated in 2000, the fountains were seriously damaged during Hurricane Sandy and stopped working. However, after a recent $6.8 million upgrade, they are back up and running.
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November 2, 2020

Ralph Lauren exec lists Upper West Side co-op full of industrial-chic style for $3.5M

For the past 30 years, John Wrazej has been an executive at Ralph Lauren, and for just as long, he's lived at this four-bedroom co-op on the Upper West Side. The home at 107 West 82nd Street has all the fashionable flair you'd expect, with tons of industrial details, lots of plaid fabric, and an overall masculine-yet-comfortable vibe. John said he and his wife, Patti Trainor-Wrazej, approached their home with the same sensibility as the Ralph Lauren brand--"like wearing a tuxedo jacket with jeans and a pair of cowboy boots." The couple has now decided to sell, listing the apartment for $3,495,000.
See the whole place
October 30, 2020

A bit of Provence comes to Long Island with this $7.9M estate

It sure does look like the French countryside, but this gorgeous estate is actually in Huntington, New York. Called Escapade a la Campagne ("getaway in the countryside"), the home was built in 2017 by its current owners and comes complete with everything you need to feel like you've escaped to Provence--a greenhouse, bocci court, a saltwater pool, and the nearly 10,000-square-foot main house with its soaring beamed ceilings and country details. The 5.4-acre property also includes an entire solar farm and is adjacent to a protected nature preserve. It's currently asking $7,900,000.
Take the tour
October 30, 2020

$3.2M Ditmas Park beauty is a modern and stylish take on the classic Victorian home

We always get excited when we see a Ditmas Park Victorian hit the market, but this home really took our breath away. The five-bedroom home at 554 East 18th Street has been completely reimagined by its owners, "husband/wife design enthusiasts," according to the listing. The eclectic mix includes industrial elements like exposed beams and pipes, playful wall coverings, Scandi-chic decor, and an open floorplan. There's a rare atrium extension, and the third floor has been transformed into a heavenly master suite. The home is asking $3,200,000.
Don't miss this tour